James Murray Brown reports that Gerry Adams is hopeful of a successful outcome There are gaps that remain but we are trying to narrow them and I’m hopeful that we can get closure before the two prime ministers return to Hillsborough Castle. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: …
Not sure what to make of this. Update: Aha, thanks to reader Enda Johnston we have the answer. It’s the Special Olympics. Larne is to play host to the Iraqi contingent. Here’s a full list of the towns hosting other countries, via North Atlantic Skyline. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK …
Ian Paisley, on a visit to Omagh, lays open his suspicions over the timing of the governments proposals to run down security committments to Northern Ireland. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
Slugger caught up with the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Quentin Davies in his Westminster offices a few weeks back. He spoke candidly on the nature of the Belfast Agreement and its implementation, as well as sharing wider historical observations on the nature of the Union itself. Read on. The Belfast Agreement is far from an ideal document. But given the circumstances we�ve had in Northern Ireland over the last thirty years, and arguably on the island of …
Rupturing many cosy opinion in Northern Ireland that though we may be sectarian at least we are not rascist, Joan Harbinson of the Equality Commission released a few surprising figures last week: “We know from research that people in Northern Ireland are actually more likely to be racist than sectarian. Evidence of the urgent need to confront and tackle racism in our society is staring us in the face.” She revealed that the incidence of racist attacks in Northern Ireland …
Spokesman for the Catholic Bishops in Scotland Peter Kearney, has rounded on priests who ask their congregations to pray for Celtic victories and even Catholic schools which bring players in to meet their pupils. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
Probably the biggest news of the weekend is that the PSNI have discovered a small quantity of arms in Belfast. The significance may lie more in the timing of the find than the quantity found. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
As ever James Murray Brown brings probably the most telling long term NI story of the last few weeks. The members of the new Strategic Partnership Board, set up to bring fiscal discipline to government spending, and long term return for public investment, have been announced. He details why it has been set up: The aim is to restore the authority of the centre in Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive, which, unlike conventional cabinet government, has allowed considerable autonomy for ministers …
Interesting Republican analysis from the Britain based newspaper the Irish Democrat. In this view, Tony Blair, rather than David Trimble is the leader of the Union – it argues: If Tony Blair is serious about his desire to save the Good Friday agreement he will have to demonstrate to Trimble supporters and unionist �rejectionists� alike exactly who is boss within UK-unionism. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics …
I know this has little to do with either Northern Ireland or the south, but Fox News is carrying a report from Associated Press that Saddam Hussain may have been injured or killed. It may explain the lighter than expected nature of the military offensive. For further blog coverage try Weblog Central, which has a special feature on blogging on the war. Update: speculation from a senior team of journalists in the Washington Post (found via Sean Paul Kelley. Mick …
Though we scored low on the third review here; it wins the Award for the most original review criteria – ever! Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
The Monaghan Association decided against carrying their usually banner for last St Patrick’s, for the most unlikely of reasons. Read on for another bizarre story from NYC! Thanks to Stephen McKinley. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
News is released at the same time Baghdad is hit with a massive shock and awe air raids, of the reduction of British troops to peace time levels of 5000. Out thoughts are with fellow blogger Salam Pax and other civilians in Baghdad tonight. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and …
Steven King brings the news that Richard Haass is to move on from his role as point man for President Bush on Northern Ireland. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
Okay. This is really the last St Patrick’s Day post. Top American blogger, Jim Capozzola, ruminates on the tacky celebrations and decides to give it a miss this year. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
Though impending war in Iraq has seen serious splits within the British Labour party and less pronounced one amongst conservatives, in Northern Ireland it brings out no such schismatic tendancies. As with virtual every other issue, internal or external in Northern Ireland, the two camps fold neatly into opposite sides of the argument. David Trimble has come out resolutely in favour. Though it seems Nationalists like Mark Durkan have been soft peddling their opposition whilst Sinn Fein appears to have …
S Lee Jamison on the often tenuous and unacknowledged links between African and Irish Americans. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
The death last week of IRA volunteer Keith Rodgers in a fierce gunfight in South Armagh, prompts Anthony McIntyre to recount how such instances were marked by others in the organisation during the Troubles. In particular, he marks his own personal moment of moving away from the Armed Struggle. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events …
If there was ever a suspicion that there might be any softening within the no camp of the Ulster Unionists Jeffrey Donaldson dispatched it to the boundary in this afternoon’s Belfast Telegraph – to the obvious dismay of some of his colleagues. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: …
Right, this the last mention of anything to do with St Patrick’s DAy for another year, if we can help. One of the blogcritics has tracked a place in the US that in homage to one of Ireland’s broadest and most comphensive literary minds, is willing to sell you Joyce pizza or even a Joyce steak. That’s got to be everything now! Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on …
